AMLAREM QUARRY CAVE 3

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Industrial cutting into economically exploitable Lakadong Limestone had resulted in what had been on 27th February 2012 an eastwards facing rift entrance (4 m high) that gave access to what appears to be a seasonal sink taking drainage from the quarry floor (Smart, C M 2013.04.29 Mss: Amlarem Quarry Cave 3 dated 27 February 2012). SITUATION: On 27th February 2012 the entrance to this cave was found at the current (February 2012) quarry floor level of an active limestone quarry face at a location approximately 100 metres west of NH40 (Smart, C M 2013.04.29 Mss: Amlarem Quarry Cave 3).APPROACH: From Amlarem town (25.28677N, 92.10613E) proceed south westwards on National Highway 40 towards Dauki (Dawki). Between 5 km and 10 km west of Amlarem the main road crosses an area of limestone with active quarries being worked both north and south of the main road. The vicinity of the spot where the cave entrance had been on 27th February 2012 is best located by GPS position (Smart, C M 2013.04.2 Mss: Amlarem Quarry Cave 3). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The eastwards facing 4 m high rift entrance was [on 27th February 2012] in the quarried remains of a canyon passage, approximately 2 m or 3 m high and a metre wide. The passage was straight for approximately 8 m to a zigzag and then a further 8 m to a rift. This was not descended due to lack of tackle but looked to be about 6 metres deep [note 1] (Smart, C M 2013.04.29 Mss: Amlarem Quarry Cave 3). TACKLE: A ladder (6 metres?) or rope will be required for the pitch (Smart, C M 2013.04.29 Mss: Amlarem Quarry Cave 3). CAVE POTENTIAL -- prospects: It is likely that more of this cave will be lost to the quarry in the near future (Smart, C M 2013.04.30 Mss -Amlarem Quarry Cave 3- evaluation) but on the other hand it is also likely that quarrying activities in the near future may give access to remoter parts of this cave. There are excellent prospects of the cave continuing beyond the undescended rift, always accepting that it can be explored bfore it is quarried away (Smart, C M 2013.04.30 Mss -Amlarem Quarry Cave 3- prospects). CAVE LIFE: One bat, approximately 8–10 cm in body length [note 2], was observed hanging from the wall, one metre above the floor, in the zigzag section of the cave (Smart, C M 2013.04.29 Mss: Amlarem Quarry Cave 3).fore it is quarried away (Smart, C M 2013.04.30 Mss -Amlarem Quarry Cave 3- prospects). CAVE LIFE: One bat, approximately 8–10 cm in body length [note 2], was observed hanging from the wall, one metre above the floor, in the zigzag section of the cave (Smart, C M 2013.04.29 Mss: Amlarem Quarry Cave 3).